Research Writing · 7 min read · June 21, 2026

How to Write a Results Section of a Research Paper: Examples for ESL Students

Learn how to write a results section of a research paper with clear structure, fictional quantitative and qualitative examples, reporting phrases, and an evidence-first checklist for international students.

Why the Results Section Feels Difficult for ESL Writers

Writing the results section of a research paper can be challenging because the writer must make evidence visible without adding more interpretation than the section is meant to carry. The challenge is not a measure of your research ability; it is a question of organizing findings, tables, figures, themes, and reporting language so readers can follow the evidence.

> Fictional learning examples: Every sentence, number, statistical result, participant account, table reference, and template in this guide is invented for practice. They are not real data, student work, or wording to submit unchanged. Replace every detail with verified evidence and follow the section conventions in your course, journal, or discipline.

This guide focuses on the practical side of the section: how to structure it, choose reporting language that matches the evidence, and avoid moving from results into interpretation too early.

Results Section vs. Discussion Section: Knowing the Difference

Many empirical research papers separate Results from Discussion, while other assignments and disciplines combine reporting and interpretation. First check the assignment, journal, or supervisor guidance. When your paper uses separate sections, Results reports the evidence and Discussion explains its significance, limitations, and connections to prior research.

In a separate results section, your job is usually to report:

• The numerical or qualitative findings
• The data collected
• The direct observations

In the discussion section, your job is different. That is where you explain what the findings mean, why they matter, and how they connect to previous research.

A Quick Test for Your Sentences

Before you write a sentence in the results section, ask yourself:

*"Am I reporting a fact, or am I explaining what it means?"*

If you are explaining the meaning or significance of a result, save that sentence for Discussion when your course uses separate Results and Discussion sections.

How to Structure a Results Section Logically

Do not write the results section like a chronological diary of your research process (e.g., "First we did this, then we found this...").

Instead, organize it around the core elements of your study:

• Research questions
• Hypotheses
• Variables
• Major result groups

For example, if your paper compares multiple conditions, you might create one clear subsection for each condition. Within each subsection, report the numerical or descriptive findings first, then identify the pattern or trend that the evidence itself supports.

This structure makes the section much easier for professors and reviewers to follow because they can quickly find the answer to each specific question raised earlier in the paper.

Essential Academic Phrases for Reporting Results

Repeatedly using the same reporting verb can make a paragraph harder to read, but changing verbs is not an end in itself. Choose a verb that matches what the table, figure, theme, statistic, or analysis actually supports. For instance, a table may *present* values, an analysis may *indicate* an association, and evidence may *support* a hypothesis without proving it.

Describing what a figure or table reveals

Less effective: "Table 1 shows that the temperature increased."

More specific: "As illustrated in Table 1, the mean temperature increased from [verified value] to [verified value]."

Alternative: "Table 1 presents the temperature variations, indicating a clear upward trend."

Reporting a difference between groups

Less effective: "We found a big difference between the two groups."

More specific: "The analysis identified a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups (report the verified statistic and p value required by your field)."

Alternative: "A comparison of the two groups highlights a substantial variance in performance."

Confirming a hypothesis

Less effective: "The results say our idea was right."

Stronger: "These findings provide evidence supporting the initial hypothesis."

Careful alternative: "The results provide evidence consistent with the prediction that [variable A] is associated with [variable B]."

Powerful Reporting Verbs to Replace "Show"

Instead of constantly using "show," try these academic verbs:

• Demonstrate
• Indicate
• Reveal
• Confirm
• Suggest
• Highlight
• Illustrate
• Reflect

How to Reference Tables and Figures Correctly

When you refer to a table or figure, integrate it smoothly into the sentence rather than announcing it as a separate entity.

Less effective: "Here is Table 2. It shows the survey results."

Stronger: "The survey results, summarized in Table 2, indicate a strong preference for synchronous online learning among participants over 30."

Your text and your table should support each other, not repeat the exact same information word for word. Use the sentence to highlight the key pattern, trend, or outlier, and let the table or figure hold the full, detailed data.

Fictional Learning Example: Quantitative Results

The following short model is fictional learning material. Replace every number, group, variable, statistic, and table reference with evidence from your own study and the reporting format your discipline requires.

"Of the 128 students who completed the survey, 74% reported using written feedback at least once per week. As shown in Table 2, first-year students reported a lower average confidence score (M = 3.1, SD = 0.8) than final-year students (M = 3.7, SD = 0.6). An independent-samples t-test indicated that this difference was statistically significant, t(126) = 4.62, p < .001. No statistically significant relationship was found between feedback frequency and total assignment grade."

Why this quantitative example works

• It reports the sample and the measure before highlighting the key comparison.
• It refers the reader to the relevant table instead of repeating every value in the prose.
• It reports a null finding directly rather than hiding it.
• It does not explain why final-year students may feel more confident; that interpretation belongs in the discussion.

Fictional Learning Example: Qualitative Results

A qualitative results section often presents themes supported by evidence from the data. It should report what participants said or what the analysis identified before moving into broader interpretation when the paper separates Results from Discussion.

"Thematic analysis identified three recurring patterns in the interview data: uncertainty about disciplinary vocabulary, reliance on peer feedback, and increased confidence after guided revision. Participants frequently described academic word choice as a source of hesitation, particularly when they were writing literature review paragraphs. One participant explained that she could understand a journal article but was unsure how to express the same idea in her own words."

Why this qualitative example works

• It names the themes clearly and in a logical order.
• It uses a participant account as evidence for a theme rather than as decoration.
• It reports the pattern without claiming that the pattern proves a cause.
• It leaves the implications for teaching, tools, or policy for the discussion section.

A Fictional Results Planning Template

Use this fictional planning template as a starting point, then adapt it to your research question, evidence, and reporting standard:

"To address [research question], [analysis method] was used to examine [data/source]. The results indicated that [main finding]. As shown in [Table/Figure/Theme] [number or name], [specific supporting pattern]. [Optional: A statistically significant/no clear] relationship was found between [X] and [Y]."

For a qualitative paper, replace the statistics with named themes and brief evidence. For a quantitative paper, report the statistic or measurement your discipline expects. Do not invent precision that your data does not provide.

Common Grammar Pitfalls in the Results Section

ESL students often encounter specific grammar issues when writing results:

1. Tense Confusion: Many research papers use past tense to describe what the study did or found (for example, “The participants reported...”) and present tense to point readers to a figure or table in the current paper (for example, “Figure 3 illustrates...”). Check your department or journal style because conventions vary.

2. Article Usage with Data: “Data” may be treated as plural in many formal and scientific contexts, while some disciplines use singular “data” for a dataset. Follow the convention in your field and keep the choice consistent.

Use university guidance and section-specific resources

The UC Irvine guide to writing results recommends factual, evidence-supported reporting in a logical order and clear references to tables and figures. Use the Results section example for a fictional structure model, Results phrases for section-specific sentence starters, and the Discussion section example to keep interpretation appropriately separated where required.

Key Takeaway

A strong Results section makes evidence easy to locate and evaluate. Report exactly what the study found, organize the section around questions, hypotheses, themes, or variables, choose reporting verbs that match the evidence, and let tables and figures carry detailed values. When your assignment separates Results and Discussion, save extended interpretation, causal explanations, and implications for Discussion.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the exact difference between the results section and the discussion section?

When your assignment separates the sections, Results reports the evidence and Discussion explains what findings may mean, why they matter, and how they relate to previous research. Some fields use a combined Results and Discussion section, so check the required format before moving a sentence.

How should I reference tables and figures in the results section?

Integrate the reference directly into the sentence. Instead of writing "Here is Table 2," write something like "The survey results, summarized in Table 2, indicate..."

Should I use past or present tense in the results section?

In most academic papers, the past tense is used to describe what the study found (because the experiment is over), while the present tense is used when referring the reader to a figure or table that is visible in the text right now. Check your specific department or journal style guide if you are unsure.

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*If your draft still sounds awkward or repetitive, use CorePapers Essay Polish after you have written the evidence in your own words. For section-specific reporting patterns, browse Results section phrases, then compare your draft with the fictional Results structure guide before submission.*